Rights

Political Theory

Rights

Chapter 5

Rights
Overview
In everyday life we often talk of our rights. As members of a democratic country we
may speak of such rights as the right to vote, the right to form political parties, the
right to contest elections and so on. But apart from the generally accepted political
and civil rights, people today are also making new demands for rights such as the
right to information, right to clean air or the right to safe drinking water. Rights are
claimed not only in relation to our political and public lives but also in relation to
our social and personal relationships. Moreover, rights may be claimed not only for
adult human beings but also for children, unborn foetuses, and even animals. The
notion of rights is thus invoked in a variety of different ways by different people. In
this chapter we will explore:
o

What do we mean when we speak of rights?

What is the basis on which rights are claimed?

What purpose do rights serve and, why are they so important?

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5.1 WHAT

ARE

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RIGHTS?

A right is essentially an entitlement or a justified claim. It denotes

what we are entitled to as citizens, as individuals and as human
beings. It is something that we consider to be due to us; something
that the rest of society must recognise as being a legitimate claim
that must be upheld. This does not mean that everything that I regard
to be necessary and desirable is a right. I may want to wear the
clothes of my choice to school rather than the prescribed uniform. I
may want to stay out late at night but this does not mean that I have
a right to dress in any way I like at school or to return home when I
choose to do so. There is a distinction between what I want and
think I am entitled to, and what can be designated as rights.
Rights are primarily those claims that I along with others regard
to be necessary for leading a life of respect and dignity. In fact, one
of the grounds on which rights have been claimed is that they
represent conditions that we collectively see as a source of selfrespect and dignity. For example, the right to livelihood may be
considered necessary for leading a life of dignity. Being gainfully
employed gives a person economic independence and thus is central
for his/her dignity. Having our basic needs met gives us freedom
to pursue our talents and interests. Or, take the right to express
ourselves freely. This right gives us the opportunity to be creative
and original, whether it be in writing, or dance, or music, or any
other creative activity. But freedom of expression is also important
for democratic government since it allows for the free expression of
beliefs and opinions. Rights such as the right to a livelihood, or
freedom of expression, would be important for all human beings
who live in society and they are described as universal in nature.

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Another ground on which rights have been claimed is that they

are necessary for our well-being. They help individuals to develop
their talents and skills. A right like the right to education, for
instance, helps to develop our capacity to reason, gives us useful
skills and enables us to make informed choices in life. It is in this
sense that education can be designated as a universal right. However,
if an activity is injurious to our health and well-being it cannot be

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Do

claimed as a right. For instance, since medical research

has shown that prohibited drugs are injurious to ones
health and since they affect our relations with others,
we cannot insist that we have a right to inhale or inject
drugs or smoke tobacco. In the case of smoking it may
even be injurious to the health of people who may be
around the smoker. Drugs may not only injure our
health but they may also sometimes change our
behaviour patterns and make us a danger to other
people. In terms of our definition of rights, smoking or
taking banned drugs cannot be claimed as a right.

LETS DO IT

Go through recent
newspapers and
make a list of peoples
movements that have
made proposals for
new kinds of rights?

5.2 WHERE DO RIGHTS COME FROM?

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, political theorists
argued that rights are given to us by nature or God. The rights of
men were derived from natural law. This meant that rights were
not conferred by a ruler or a society, rather we are born with them.
As such these rights are inalienable and no one can take these
away from us. They identified three natural rights of man: the right
to life, liberty and property. All other rights were said to be derived
from these basic rights. The idea that we are born with certain
rights, is a very powerful notion because it implies that no state or
organisation should take away what has been given by the law of
nature. This conception of natural rights has been used widely to
oppose the exercise of arbitrary power by states and governments
and to safeguard individual freedom.
In recent years, the term human rights is being used more than
the term natural rights. This is because the idea of there being a
natural law, or a set of norms that are laid down for us by nature,
or God, appears unacceptable today. Rights are increasingly seen
as guarantees that human beings themselves seek or arrive at in
order to lead a minimally good life.
The assumption behind human rights is that all persons are
entitled to certain things simply because they are human beings.
As a human being each person is unique and equally valuable. This
means that all persons are equal and no one is born to serve others.

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KANT

ON

HUMAN DIGNITY

... everything has either a price or a

dignity. What has a price is such that
something else can also be put in its place
as its equivalent; by contrast, that which
is elevated above all price, and admits of
no equivalent, has a dignity.
Human beings, unlike all other
objects, possess dignity. They are, for this
reason valuable in themselves. For the
eighteenth century German philosopher,
Immanuel Kant, this simple idea had a deep
meaning. It meant that every person has
dignity and ought to be so treated by virtue
of being a human being. A person may be
uneducated, poor or powerless. He may
even be dishonest or immoral. Yet, he
remains a human being and deserves to be
given some minimum dignity.
For Kant, to treat people with dignity
was to treat them morally. This idea became
a rallying point for those struggling against
social hierarchies and for human rights.
Kants views represent, what is called,
the moral conception of rights. This
position rests upon two arguments. First,
we should be treating others as we would
like to be treated ourselves. Second, we
should make sure that we dont treat the
other person as means to our ends. We
should not treat people as we treat a pen,
a car, or a horse. That is, we should respect
people not because they are useful to us
but because they are, after all, human
beings.

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Each of us possesses an intrinsic

value, hence we must have equal
opportunities to be free and realise
our full potential. This conception of
a free and equal self is increasingly
being used to challenge existing
inequalities based on race, caste,
religion and gender. Today, the UN
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights builds upon this understanding
of rights and it attempts to recognise
those claims that the world
community collectively sees as being
important for leading a life of dignity
and self-respect.
The notion of universal human
rights has been used by oppressed
people all over the world to
challenge laws which segregate
them and deny them equal
opportunities and rights. In fact, it
is through the struggles of groups
that have felt excluded that the
interpretation of existing rights has
sometimes been altered. Slavery
has, for instance, been abolished,
but there are other struggles that
have only had a limited success.
Even today there are communities
struggling to define humanity in a
way which includes them.
The list of human rights which
people have claimed has expanded
over the years as societies face
new threats and challenges. For
instance, we are very conscious

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today of the need to protect

the natural environment
and this has generated
demands for rights to clean
air, water, sustainable
development, and the like.
A new awareness about the
changes which many
people, especially women,
children or the sick, face in
times of war or natural
crisis has also led to
demands for a right to
livelihood, rights of children
and the like. Such claims
express a sense of moral
outrage about infringements
of peoples dignity and they
also act as a rallying call to
people to try and extend rights to all human beings. We should not
understate the extent and power of such claims. They often invoke
wide support. You may have heard about the pop star Bob Geldof s
recent appeal to western governments to end poverty in Africa and
seen T.V. reports about the scale of support which he received from
ordinary people.

5.3 LEGAL RIGHTS

AND THE

STATE

While claims for human rights appeal to our moral self, the degree of
success of such appeals depends on a number of factors, most
important of which is the support of governments and the law. This
is why so much importance is placed on the legal recognition of rights.
A Bill of Rights is enshrined in the constitutions of many
countries. Constitutions represent the highest law of the land and
so constitutional recognition of certain rights gives them a primary
importance. In our country we call them Fundamental Rights. Other
laws and policies are supposed to respect the rights granted in the
Constitution. The rights mentioned in the Constitution would be

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those which are considered to be of basic importance. In some cases

these may be supplemented by claims which gain importance
because of the particular history and customs of a country. In India,
for instance, we have a provision to ban untouchability which draws
attention to a traditional social practice in the country.
So important is the legal and constitutional recognition of our
claims that several theorists define rights as claims that are
recognised by the state. The legal endorsement certainly gives our
rights a special status in society but it is not the basis on which
rights are claimed. As we discussed earlier, rights have steadily
been expanded and reinterpreted to include previously excluded
groups and to reflect our contemporary understanding of what it
means to lead a life of dignity and respect.

However, in most cases the claimed rights are directed towards

the state. That is, through these rights people make demands upon
the state. When I assert my right to education, I call upon the state
to make provisions for my basic education. Society may also accept
the importance of education and contribute to it on its own. Different
groups may open schools and fund scholarships so that children of
all classes can get the benefit of education. But the primary
responsibility rests upon the state. It is the state that must initiate
necessary steps to ensure that my right to education is fulfilled.
Thus, rights place an obligation upon the state to act in certain
kinds of ways. Each right indicates what the state must do as well
as what it must not do. For instance, my right to life obliges the
state to make laws that protect me from injury by others. It calls
upon the state to punish those who hurt me or harm me. If a society
feels that the right to life means a right to a good quality of life, it
expects the state to pursue policies that provide for clean
environment along with other conditions that may be necessary for
a healthy life. In other words, my right here places certain obligations
upon the state to act in a certain way.

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Rights not only indicate what the state must do, they also suggest
what the state must refrain from doing. My right to liberty as a person,
for instance, suggests that the state cannot simply arrest me at its
own will. If it wishes to put me behind bars, it must defend that action;

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it must give reasons for curtailing my liberty before a

judicial court. This is why the police are required to
produce an arrest warrant before taking me away. My
rights thus place certain constraints upon state actions.

To put it another way, our rights ensure that the

authority of the state is exercised without violating the
sanctity of individual life and liberty. The state may be
the sovereign authority; the laws it makes may be
enforced with force, but the sovereign state exists not
for its own sake but for the sake of the individual. It is
people who matter more and it is their well-being that
must be pursued by the government in power. The rulers
are accountable for their actions and must not forget
that law exists to ensure the good of the people.

5.4 KINDS

OF

LETS DO IT

Do

Go
thr ough
the
newspapers of the last
few days and identify
cases of rights violations
which
have
been
discussed. What should
the government and
civil society do to
prevent such violations?

RIGHTS

Most democracies today begin by drawing up a charter of political

rights. Political rights give to the citizens the right to equality before
law and the right to participate in the political process. They include
such rights as the right to vote and elect representatives, the right
to contest elections, the right to form political parties or join them.
Political rights are supplemented by civil liberties. The latter refers
to the right to a free and fair trial, the right to express ones views
freely, the right to protest and express dissent. Collectively, civil
liberties and political rights form the basis of a democratic system
of government. But, as was mentioned before, rights aim to protect
the well-being of the individual. Political rights contribute to it by
making the government accountable to the people, by giving greater
importance to the concerns of the individual over that of the rulers
and by ensuring that all persons have an opportunity to influence
the decisions of the government.
However, our rights of political participation can only be exercised
fully when our basic needs, of food, shelter, clothing, health, are
met. For a person living on the pavements and struggling to meet
these basic needs, political rights by themselves have little value.
They require certain facilities like an adequate wage to meet their

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basic needs and reasonable conditions of work. Hence

democratic societies are beginning to recognise these
obligations and providing economic rights. In some
countries, citizens, particularly those with low
incomes, receive housing and medical facilities from
the state; in others, unemployed persons receive a
certain minimum wage so that they can meet their
basic needs. In India the government has recently
introduced a rural employment guarantee scheme,
among other measures to help the poor.

LETS DEBATE

The right to culture

means that no one
should be allowed to
make films that offend
the
r eligious
or
cultural beliefs of
others.

Today, in addition to political and economic rights

more and more democracies are recognising the
cultural claims of their citizens. The right to have
primary education in ones mother tongue, the right
to establish institutions for teaching ones language and culture,
are today recognised as being necessary for leading a good life. The
list of rights has thus steadily increased in democracies. While some
rights, primarily the right to life, liberty, equal treatment, and the
right to political participation are seen as basic rights that must
receive priority, other conditions that are necessary for leading a
decent life, are being recognised as justified claims or rights.

LETS THINK
Which of the following rights granted to groups/
communities are justifiable? Discuss.
o
o

o
o

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Jain community in a town sets up its own school

and enrols students only from its own community.
Purchase of land or property in Himachal Pradesh
is restricted to those who are residents in that
state.
The principal of a co-ed college issued a circular
that no girl should wear any western dress.
A Panchayat in Haryana decided that the boy and
the girl from different castes who married each
other will not be allowed to live in the village.

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5.5 RIGHTS

AND

RESPONSIBILITIES

Rights

Rights not only place obligations upon the state to act in a certain
way for instance, to ensure sustainable development but they
also place obligations upon each of us. Firstly, they compel us to
think not just of our own personal needs and interests but to defend
some things as being good for all of us. Protecting the ozone layer,
minimising air and water pollution, maintaining the green cover by
planting new trees and preventing cutting down of forests,
maintaining the ecological balance, are things that are essential for
all of us. They represent the common-good that we must act to
protect for ourselves as well as for the future generations who are
entitled to inherit a safe and clean world without which they cannot
lead a reasonably good life.
Secondly, they require that I respect
the rights of others. If I say that I must
be given the right to express my views
I must also grant the same right to
others. If I do not want others to
interfere in the choices I make the
dress I wear or the music I listen to
I must refrain from interfering in the
choices that others make. I must leave
them free to choose their music and
clothes. I cannot use the right to free
speech to incite a crowd to kill my
neighbour. In exercising my rights, I
cannot deprive others of their rights.
My rights are, in other words, limited
by the principle of equal and same
rights for all.
Thirdly, we must balance our rights when they come into conflict.
For instance, my right to freedom of expression allows me to take
pictures; however, if I take pictures of a person bathing in his house
without his consent and post them on the internet, that would be a
violation of his right to privacy.

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Fourthly, citizens must be vigilant about limitations

which may be placed on their rights. A currently debated
topic concerns the increased restrictions which many
governments are imposing on the civil liberties of
citizens on the grounds of national security. Protecting
national security may be defended as necessary for
safeguarding the rights and well-being of citizens. But
at what point could the restrictions imposed as
necessary for security themselves become a threat to
the rights of people? Should a country facing the threat
of terrorist bombings be allowed to curtail the liberty
of citizens? Should it be allowed to arrest people on
mere suspicion? Should it be allowed to intercept their
mail or tap their phones? Should it be allowed to use
torture to extract confession?
In such situations the question to ask is whether
the person concerned poses an imminent threat to
society. Even arrested persons should be allowed legal
counsel and the opportunity to present their case before
a magistrate or a court of law. We need to be extremely
cautious about giving governments powers which could
be used to curtail the civil liberties of individuals for
such powers can be misused. Governments can become
authoritarian and undermine the very reasons for which
governments exist namely, the well-being of the
members of the state. Hence, even though rights can
never be absolute, we need to be vigilant in protecting
our rights and those of others for they form the basis
of a democratic society.

LETS DEBATE

One mans rights end

where the other mans
nose begins.

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On 10 December 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted

and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Following
this historic act the Assembly called upon all Member countries to publicise
the text of the Declaration and to cause it to be disseminated, displayed,
read and expounded principally in schools and other educational
institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries
or territories.
PREAMBLE
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and
inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation
of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in
barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and
the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of
speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed
as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse,
as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human
rights should be protected by the rule of law,
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly
relations between nations,
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter
reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and
worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women
and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of
life in larger freedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect
for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is
of the greatest importance for the full realisation of this pledge,
Now, therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common
standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that
every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration
constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote
respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures,
national and international, to secure their universal and effective
recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States
themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

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Exercises

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Political Theory

1. What are rights and why are they important? What are the bases on
which claims to rights can be made?
2.

On what grounds are some rights considered to be universal in nature?

Identify three rights which you consider universal. Give reasons.

3. Discuss briefly some of the new rights claims which are being put
forward in our country today for example the rights of tribal peoples
to protect their habitat and way of life, or the rights of children against
bonded labour.
4. Differentiate between political, economic and cultural rights. Give
examples of each kind of right.
5. Rights place some limits on the authority of the state. Explain with
examples.

Credit: Image on opening page: The National Archives and Records

Administration, United States of America